Reamer



UWC.. M9, E939. S M, AKEYSQN 2,184,1@8

BEAMER Filed DeC. 20, 1935 /7 7" TURA/6).

' of the Patented Dec. 19, 1939 UNITED STATES ATEMT OFFEQE 13 Claims.

This invention relates to a reamer for the purpose of enlarging or cutting bore holes.

An object of my invention is to provide a reamer utilizing a plurality of rotary cutters, the cutters being so arranged on the body of the reamer that they will effectively operate with a minimum amount of wear on the cutters.

Another object is to provide a reamer of the character stated, in which the body is formed with spiral grooves in which the rotary cutters are mounted, the spiral grooves serving to carry the detritus upwardly from the bottom of the bore hole.

Still another object is to provide a reamer character stated in which the cutters are easily and eectively mounted in the body of the reamer, and which is simple in construction and inexpensive to manufacture.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a reamer having a plurality of cutting surfaces which bear against the well bore to stabilize the reamer while it is being rotated, these surfaces reducing side play and Whip in the reamer, thereby causing the bit to drill a more nearly straight hole.

Other objects, advantages and features of invention may appear from the accompanying drawing, the subjoined detailed description and the appended claims.

In the drawing Figure l is a side elevation of my reamer.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of my reamer turned 90 from the position shown in Fig. 1.

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on line 3f3 of Fig. 2.

Figure l is a sectional View taken on line 4--61 of Fig. l.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary sectional View of the body and one of the cutters mounted thereon.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary sectional View of the body with a modified form of rotary cutter shown in side elevation.

Figure 7 is a side elevation of a modiiied form of reamer.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, my reamer includes an elongated body l, the central portion of which is larger in diameter than the end portions, as shown at 2. A threaded pin El is provided at the upper end of the body and a threaded box t is provided at the lower end o the body. The purpose of the threaded pin and box is to enable the reamer to be attached to a string of drill pipe, or the like, and it may be varied to suit requirements. In the enlarged part 2 of the body, I provide two spiral grooves 5, 6. These grooves are similar to a double thread, and the bottom of the grooves at their upper and lower ends conforms substantially to the outside diameter of the reduced end parts of the body I so that material enter- 5 ing at the bottom of the grooves will pass upwardly in the bore hole Without obstruction.

In the spiral grooves 5, 6, I provide a plurality of superposed cutters l, 8, respectively. As here shown, I have provided three disc cutters'in each 10 of the grooves and the cutters in each groove are spaced apart approximately 45 radially from center. This arrangement of the cutters provides a 90 contact of the Well bore for the cutters in each groove, thereby providing 180 of contact 15 with the well bore, which will stabilize the reamer when rotated. A greater or lesser number of cutters may be employed, if desired. The cutters in each oi the grooves are equidistantly spaced vertically. Also, the cutters are arranged in pairs, i. e., the lowermost cutters in the grooves 5, 6 are arranged diametrically opposite each other, and similarly for the other pairs.

The discs l, 8 are rotatably mounted in the grooves 5, 6, respectively, upon pins S, the pins being locked against unscrewing from the body by a suitable cap screw lock bolt l0. The pins 9 are screwed into the body and the lock bolts it screw into the pins, thus holding the pins securely in position. The cutters are then rotatably mounted on the pins 9, substantially as shown in Fig. 5.

Each of the cutters 1, 3 is set on a plane surface formed in the grooves 5, 6, as shown at Il. These surfaces are machined at an acute angle to the vertical and these planes are in advance of and parallel to the transverse center line of the reamer. The base of the cutters 1, 8 will be in alignment with the planes ll upon which said cutters rest, and the purpose of this con- 4o struction is to cause the cutters to rotate continuously while the reamer is being rotated in the bore hole.

In event the cutters are properly mounted, they will continuously rotate and therefore will l5 Wear even on all sides.

As shown in Fig. 6, the cutters may be toothed as indicated at i2, this construction being particularly useful for digging thru hard formations, such as rock, and the like.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the outer edges of the cutters l, 8 are equally spaced from the axial center line of the reamer. However, it is obvious that the reamers may be variously spaced from the axial centerline. That is, the bottom 55 pair of cutters may be spaced closer to the center line or the reamer, the next pair a slightly greater distance, etc., for as many pairs of cutters as are required. This construction is shown in Fig. 7. The body of the reamer may be tapered from the bottom to the top thereof. That is, the body increases in diameter towards the upper end. The same grooves are provided in the body as previously described and the cutters are mounted in the grooves as previously described. The lower pair of cutters ream a smaller diameter, than the next pair of cutters above them, and this arrangement continues for as many pairs of cutters as are desired.

With the arrangement of spiral grooves and the method of mounting the rotary cutters, it is possible to provide cutters of quite large diameter and still maintain a suiiicient amount 0f metal in the central part of the tool to prevent twisting off under strain. The cutting edges of the cutters l, protrude beyond the periphery of the enlarged part 2 so that a reaming action will occur when the tool is operated in a bore hole.

It is evident from the foregoing description that the detritus will not only be permitted to move upwardly in the bore hole because of the spiral grooves in the body, but a rapid rotation of the reamer will pick up the detritus and force it upwardly. This action will effectively eliminate any possibility of clogging of the cutters, and will enable the cutters to freely rotate and cut at all times.

Having described my invention, I claim:

l. A reamer comprising a body, said body having spiral grooves formed therein, cutters rotatably mounted in said grooves, said cutters protruding beyond the periphery of the body.

2. A reamer comprising a body, said body having a pair of spiral grooves formed therein, a plurality of superposed cutters rotatably mounted in said grooves, the cutting edges of said cutters protruding beyond the periphery of the body of the reamer.

3. A reamer comprising a body, an enlarged portion on the body, spiral grooves formed in the enlarged portion, a plurality of superposed cutters arranged in each of the spiral grooves and rotatably mcunted therein, the cutting edges of the cutters protruding beyond the periphery of the enlarged portion.

e. A reamer comprising a body, an .enlarged portion on the body, a pair of spiral grooves formed in the enlarged portion, a plurality of superposed cutters arranged in each of the spiral grooves and rotatably mounted therein, the cutting edges of the cutters protruding beyond the periphery of the enlarged portion.

5. A reamer comprising a body, said body having a pair of spiral grooves formed therein, a plurality of superposed cutters rotatably mounted in said grooves, the cutting edges of said cutters protruding beyond the periphery of the body, said cutters being arranged in pairs, the pairs of cutters being in horizontal alignment.

6. A reamer comprising a body, an enlarged central portion on the body, said enlarged portion having a pair of spiral grooves formed therein, a plurality of cutters rotatably mounted in said grooves, the base of said cutters being arranged at an acute angle to the vertical and at an angle to the vertical center line of the reamer and parallel to the transverse center line of the body.

7. A reamer comprising a body, an enlarged central portion of the body, said enlarged portion having a pair of spiral grooves formed therein, a plurality of cutters rotatably mounted in said grooves, the base of said cutters being arranged at an acute angle to the vertical and at an angle to the vertical center line of the reamer and paraliei to the transverse center line of the body, said cutters being arranged in oppositely disposed pairs within the two grooves substantially as described.

8. A reamer comprising a body, said body having spiral groves formed therein, cutters rotatably mounted in said grooves, said cutters being superposed and arranged in diametrically opposed pairs, all of said cutters protruding beyond, the periphery of the body.

9. A reamer comprising a body, said body having spiral grooves formed therein, cutters rotatably mounted in said grooves, the cutters in each of the grooves being spaced radially around the body and said cutters being arranged in diamet- 1 rically opposed pairs.

i0. A reamer comprising a tapered body, said body having spiral grooves formed therein, cutters rotatably mounted in said grooves, said cutters protruding beyond the periphery of the body.

l1. A reamer comprising a tapered body, said body having spiral grooves formed therein, cutters rotatably mounted in said grooves, said cutters protruding beyond the periphery of the body, said cutters being arranged in oppositely disposed pairs, and the plane of each of said cutters being at an angle to the horizontal.

l2. A reamer comprising a tapered body, said body having spiral grooves formed therein, cutters rotatably mounted in said grooves, said cutters protruding beyond the periphery of the body, said cutters being arranged in oppositely disposed pairs, the plane of each of said cutters being at an angie to the horizontal, the cutters in each of the grooves being spaced radially around the body and the plane of each of the cutters being at an angle to the plane of each of the other cutters.

13. A well reamer' for use in a string of drilling tools including, a body to be interposed in said string, means at the opposite ends of the body for connecting it in the string, a disc cutter, and means mounting the disc cutter on the body to project outwardly therefrom at a point between its ends and to rotate about an axis inclined upwardly and forwardly relative to the longitudinal axis of the body and the direction of rotation of the reamer, said disc cutter having its periphery bevelled away from its leading peripheral edge to provide clearance.

SWAN M. AKEYSON. 

